Before I had Evie I was obsessed with buying the latest and greatest baby gear. I poured hours of internet research into what I "needed." Of course my search included the top running strollers so that I could get back into shape right away. Ha! Oh sorry, excuse me.My highly technical and 100% accurate internet research revealed that the two main jogging stroller brands are BOB and Chariot. But I could not find an article that compared the two against each other....well, you're in luck. Because I've done it. You can thank me by sending me cash. Envelopes full of cash.

When I take up a new hobby, I don't just dabble in it. I immerse myself in it. I want to know as much as I can about it so that I can understand what I am doing and why. I also want to be a part of the culture surrounding it. When I started running, albeit on a bit of a whim, I became a bit obsessed. I wasn't euphoric before, during and after every run. And in the beginning this didn't even happen on half of my runs. But soon enough I couldn't get enough of it. I read a bagillion blogs (yes bagillion is a real word - because I say so), and I started reading all the books. I wanted to be inspired by finding someone like me, who is not the fastest runner. I wanted to feel connected to another 'average' runner. I still love reading blogs - Skinny Runner, Hungry Runner Girl, Sweaty Emily, Ali, and Sarah Oual - you know the girls - but I will admit that they all seemed to run at a pace that will forever be out of reach for me. But they give me hope.And with none of my friends into running, I love reading running blogs and books because I can feel like I'm having a 'conversation' with a friend about running. And when I had read every post and got myself caught up on all the running blogs I read religiously, I needed something else to read. So I started with the books. And there are some really great running books out there folks. Not just the technical books that lay out training plans, but the ones where people lay everything out there for you.And needing a bit of inspiration these days - I picked up this one I've been meaning to read for quite awhile:

While my training has been sporadic this year, I have run a couple 5Ks for fun (two, to be exact). But this 10K will be my first run back at it - keep in mind that it is just over a month away and I have only run once this month - the 5K Run for the Cure I did this past weekend. So to say my training has been lacking is certainly an understatement. This isn't just any 10K, this is a hilly beast. In fact, one of the hills lasts for just over a mile. I am certain that while I will do some training for this run - the month I have given to prepare myself will be grossly insufficient - and make me curse my decision to sign up for this. Hopefully that will push me into training some more. That and signing up for a winter half-marathon. So, I'm kind of excited for this run, kind of dreading it at the same time. Oh, and in case you think I am exaggerating - here is the elevation profile:

Besides the ridiculous hilly course, and the traditional cold, rainy day that has welcomed this race for the past two years that it has been running, it should be a good time! So who else is running this beast?

Diastasis Recti is being labelled the silent epidemic. Currently only about five percent of women are diagnosed, but it has been said that nearly 80 percent of women have it.So what is it?Basically, abdominal separation. During pregnancy your growing uterus can put pressure on your rectus abdominis and cause it to separate. The separation can be so severe that your abs don't go back together after you've given birth. This leaves a gap in the muscle and strains connective tissue. The tissue can become so weak that internal organs can stick out the gap in your muscles, or hernias can develop.I believe the main problem behind diastasis not getting diagnosed, is because a lot of women don't know about it. And doctors don't often tend to check for it unless they are asked.So, why am I talking about this? Because I have it.

If you haven't read my last post in MamaHood, then I should start by saying that I haven't been very active the past 10 weeks since Evie was born. (My precious daughter that made us wait an extra 15 days after her due date for her arrival). I had a cesarean, which is pretty major abdominal surgery, and was ordered to refrain from working out for two months. So in that time I focused on figuring out how to be a mom, breastfeeding, sleep schedules, etc. I did take a few walks, not many though. What I didn't realize, is that I wasn't even supposed to do this until six weeks after my surgery. Oops!I put Evie in her ergo and headed out for a couple short walks around the lake - only 3km but with some good uphill portions. I pushed her stroller around our condo - only about 1-2km and there were quite a few uphill portions. (We live on top of a mountain). Since getting the go-ahead to work out I've been taking it pretty slow. I've walked up and down the mountain, about 6km, with Evie in the ergo. I've walked down the mountain with her in the BOB stroller. Wow! I couldn't walk without pain for two days afterwards - good workout. I've done a few days of Jillian Micheals' 30-Day Shred - but none of this has been done on a regular basis.This week I decided to do something a little harder, I took my very first stroller spin class at JDF Rec Centre. It was tough.For stroller spin you put your babe in the stroller and put it right next to your spin bike. There were only six mamas there, in a large fitness room, so there was tons of space to spread out. While I was on the bike there were a few moments when I was trying to sprint and rock Evie in her stroller to keep her happy. Talk about multitasking.In previous spin classes the instructor would give us a range, in this class the instructor said to put our bikes at a specific tension level. And either I'm out of shape, or she is a tough cookie.We did a ton of hills and sprinting. For one song she had us sitting for 5 sec. then standing for 5 sec. then to 3 sec. - you get the idea. It was at this point that I realized I really need to strengthen my core. I got a major pain, like a cramp, just under my rib cage. It was so painful to stand, I finally realized it was my core protesting!But it was a great hour workout, regardless of the pain. Somewhere in the middle of the class I glanced into the mirror that spans the fitness room wall, and every single mom was staring down, adoringly, at their little babes. It was kind of amazing.I really appreciated that the class was accommodating to babies, whether they were fussy or wanted to coo and play. There were no dirty looks or awkward feelings. If you needed to stop mid-class to stick a soother back in their mouth, to move a crawling baby away from your pedals or even join the class late - it was all good.So for mamas looking to get back into shape I would definitely recommend a stroller fitness class. Especially since many gym daycares won't accept babies under six months.

I know it's already a few days into 2013 so technically I'm a little late with this one, but better late than never, right?2012 was a pretty amazing year for me - both professionally and personally:I was promoted and I earned myself a medal through my hard work. It is such an amazing feeling to be recognized for the effort and passion you put into your job - something that I do without looking for praise. But to have it noticed, it meant that I must be on the right path. And then Justin Beiber came along and screwed it all up.

I know I'm not the only one when I say that I have certain things that I just can't run without. Heading to work and planning a lunch run then reaching into your bag and realizing you've forgotten said item, that's enough for me to change my plans and cancel that run. Of course a sports bra certainly goes without saying here. But that's for the benefit of people I run past, as much as for me;)My other running necessities include my Garmin and my iPod. I could make do without the Garmin because I know certain routes are certain distances - but I won't like it. And ask me to run without my iPod? Forget it.(Sidebar: when D and I went for our first run together I clipped on my iPod and put one ear bud in, thinking this wouldn't be an issue. He looked at me like I had two heads! Even though I could still hear him clearly, he wasn't having the iPod in my ear. At. All. Fast forward to when he was training for his half-marathon. He actually thought we could run together and he was going to put both ear buds in. His excuse was that running with music is awesome and he could still hear me. Oh, the hypocrisy). But I digress...Okay so besides the Garmin and my iPod, what are the additional gadgets or items I have to take with me now that I am with child??In no particular order, my pregnancy running must haves:(click on the photo to take you to the product)

Not my photo - and most likely a woman who has never wheezed during a preggo run.

It's December in Victoria, but the weather is still absolutely beautiful. In fact, just last month I was able to workout in just a tank top - pants go without saying, just for the record. Last year most of my workouts took place outside, I can't stand the treadmill. However, these days I've been doing pretty much every workout in the gym - mainly on the elliptical. Two weeks ago was my last run - on the treadmill, and it lasted for about 30 minutes until my round ligaments started to pull and hurt. Before that I felt amazing - I haven't really noticed a ton of difference in how my body feels when I run, besides being mentally fatigued and being short of breath easily. People always mention that I must feel off-balance, carrying all my weight on my front, but I don't. Perhaps my short stature helps with this? The wheezing is by far the worst part of running pregnant - I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that people walking on the sidewalk in front of me will hear my wheezing behind them, turn around and stop to wait for me to pass. No word of a lie, I sound like an 80-year-old who has been smoking since the age of 10. For real.

One thing my doctor has told me repeatedly is, "You're body will tell you when it's time to stop running." Every time I hear that I think to myself that my body won't tell me to stop - I barely run over a walking pace as it is. And I secretly cling to my hope that my body will allow me to run all the way through my pregnancy.I often wonder how exactly, my body will tell me to stop running. I imagine that my stomach ligaments will just ache too much each time I run and that I won't have the energy for it. Then I tell myself to stop being a wimp.This week my body is definitely trying to tell me something.I worked out 5 times this week, none of those workouts were runs. I did a weight workout - where I would do a 15 rep exercise and then jog a 250m lap in between for a total of 20 mins. And then I went for a walk and did 30 mins. on the elliptical three times. My body told me this week that it hates me.I have never been so tight in my back and legs than I have felt this week. This also coincides with an Active Release (ART) session with my chiropractor - where she told me my entire body was tight. My chiro is a runner herself and has been very encouraging about my running. She told me this week that the running I am doing through my pregnancy is good for me. And we both blame the incline on the elliptical for making my body so tight. (She's the only one who's with me on this whole running thing in the healthcare world).This week for the first time I also tried acupuncture. Apparently I was still tight after my ART because my acupuncturist bent two needles in my arse!Yep, that's the truth folks. Apparently that hasn't happened to her before. And I tell you what, if I wasn't wearing the wrong type of underwear at the time and didn't have my butt hanging out mooning her then I probably would have made some sort of buns of steel comment. But clearly, this was neither the time, nor the place for it.My acupuncturist told me my muscles are so tight that I should no longer be running.Say what!?Then she scheduled me for a second appointment the next day.My original purpose for seeing the acupuncturist was/is to fix my shoulder - I have some major knots throughout my rhomboids, which runs along the outer edge of my shoulder blade. It means that I can barely lift a grocery basket with a gallon of milk before it aches too much.I certainly didn't come there with hopes that she would fix my hips and tell me not to run. My chiropractor didn't say that my hips were the worst she has seen them, and she's been dealing with my weak hips and IT Band issues for the past year. So, this leaves me to wonder if the reason that my acupuncturist told me not to run is partially to do with her position in the world. Let me explain here....When I think of someone who practices Western Chinese Medicine, and is an acupuncturist, I can't help but imagine a hippy. This is of course a gross generalization - but I live in Victoria where even I could be considered a hippy because I am going to cloth diaper my child. And in fact, I take the hippy comment as a compliment. But I certainly don't ever picture hippies as they type who run. Their Birkenstocks would surely be ripped to shreds.Again, generalization. Chiropractors, well I don't often view them as granola - so perhaps to them, running is a more natural form of exercise and movement... And perhaps I'm too tired that I'm beginning to grasp at straws here.Either way, I certainly am not ready to stop running just yet. It definitely takes more energy than it used to, it isn't nearly as fun as it was before, but it is part of what i enjoy. I am going to tell myself that when my acupuncturist said to not run, what she really meant was, Don't use those lame elliptical machines. And I will take that advice. I'm waiting for my body to tell me when it's time to throw in the towel and give my Mizunos a break until the new year.But what about you guys, if anyone is reading this (besides Alesia - hi! - who doesn't have a baby yet - lucky girl), how did you know if it was time to stop running?